Internal expansion engine



Sept. 3, 1940.

w. T. KlNsLow INTERNAL EXPANSION ENGINE Original FiledAJuly 18, 1938 2 Sheets-Sheet. 1

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INTERNAL EXPANSION ENGINE Original Filed July 18.' 1938 2 Sheets-Sheer 2 Patented Sept. 3, 1940 UNITE. S'l'ES 2,Z3,il

@ENCE .l'uly 18, 1938. Serial No. 265,675

5 Claims.

My invention relates to internal combustion engines and more particularly to engines of the two stroke variety; the invention to which this application relates being a continuation of my co- 5 pending application filed July 18, 1938, Serial No.

An object of the present invention is the provision of an engine in which the maximum compression of fuel occurs when the piston crank l` is substantially past dead center, thereby increasing the moment of leverage of the piston rod and crank at the time of ring.

A further object is to provide such an engine in which a positive intake of fuel gas is had at l atmospheric pressure without resort to compression of the gas.

Other objects and advantages of this invention will be made manifest in the following description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which:

Fig. 1 is a vertical sectional vie'w taken through a preferred embodiment of the invention.

Fig. 2 is a vertical sectional View taken on the line 2--2 of Fig. l.

2f; Fig. 3 is a horizontal sectional view taken on the line 3 3 of Fig. 1.

Figs. 4 to '7 are sectional views similar to Fig. l showing successive operative positions of the engine of my invention.

31,1 Referring specifically to the drawings, a preferred embodiment of engine l0 of my invention includes a casting l l having a crank case I2 formed thereon. Provided by the upper portion of the casting I l is a water jacketed block I3 having 5, a bore i4. Formed in opposite sides of the block I3 are intake and exhaust ports. i6 and Il respectively, these communicating with intake and exhaust pipes I3 and li! respectively, the exhaust pipe I9 having a check valve 2i! provided therein to permit the exhaust of gases from the port VI into the pipe i9 and to prevent the return of gases therethrough as will be described hereinafter.

Journalled in bearings 25 and 26, as shown in Fig. 2, is a crank shaft 2l having a piston crank pin 28 and a pair of cylinder crank pins 29 formed thereon, the crank pins 29 being positioned 90 in advance and having one half the amount of throw of the crank pin 28 as seen in Fig. 4. Mounted on the bearing 25 is a timer 32 which includes a housing 33 having terminals 34 and 35 thereon. Fixed on the end of the crank shaft 2l within the housing 33 of the timer 32 is a rotor 3l adapted to conduct intermittent charges of electricity from the terminal 34 to the terminal 35. Extending from the terminal 35 to a switch This application April 3, 1939,

(Cl. 12S-50) S, shown in Fig. 2, is a wire 35. Extending to the timer 32 from a suitable source of high-tension current is a pair of wires 38 and 39, the wire 38 being connected to the terminal 34 and the wire 39 being grounded, Mounted on top of the block 5 I3 is a cap 4l! having an insulated terminal 4I mounted thereon, the latter being joined with the switch S by a wire 42.

Slidable within the bore i4 of the block l3is a sleeve cylinder 45 connected with the crank pins 10 29 of the shaft 2l by connecting rods 46.. Formed integral with the upper end of the cylinder 45 is a head 48 having a spark plug 49 mounted therein, the latter having an elongated terminal 50 which extends upwardly close to theY terminal 4l l5 of the cap 45. Formed at opposite sides of the sleeve cylinder A45 are intake and exhaust ports 52 and 53 respectively, these being positioned for registration at suitable intervals with the intake and exhaust ports I3 and I1 respectively of the 20 block I3.

Within the cylinder 45 is a piston 54 connected with the crank pin 29 by `a connecting rod 55, la combustion chamber 55 being formed in the sleeve cylinder 45 between the upper end of the 25 piston 54 and the head 48 of the cylinder.

Operation,

In Fig. 1, the sleeve cylinder 45 and piston 54 of the engine I0 are shown in firing position, the combustion chamber 56 having been reduced to its smallest volume so as to compress the fuel gas contained therein. While in the firing position shown in Fig. l, the crank pin 28 is disposed '5 at an angle of about 45 past dead center at substantially its maximum moment of torque relative to the crank shaft 26. At this time, the spark plug 49 is fired by contact of the rotor 3l of the timer 32 with the terminal 35, the current passing through the wire 36, switch S, wire 42 and into the terminal 4I where the current jumps to the terminal 59 to fire the plug 49.

From the firing position shown in Fig. 1, the piston 54 moves downward on its power stroke driving the crank shaft 2l in a clockwise direction as viewed in Fig. 1. When the` piston 54 has moved to the position in which it is shown in Fig. 4, the'exhaust port 53 of the sleeve cylinder 45 is uncovered by the piston 54 permitting the 0 burnt gases to pass through the ports 53 and Il into the exhaust manifold I9, the pressure of the exhaust gases lifting the check valve 20, thus enabling the gas to pass thereby. After the exhaust of the burnt gases as shown in Fig. 4, the piston 55 54 continues downward and the sleeve cylinder 45 starts upward, these combined movements increasing the volume of the combustion chamber `used to facilitate smooth idling.

When the piston 54 moves from the position in which it is shown in Fig. 5 to that shown in Fig. 6, the intake port 52 of the sleeve cylinder 45 is uncovered permitting the sub-atmospheric pressure in the combustion chamber to rapidly suck fuel gas inward through the aligned ports i6 and 52. It will be seen in Fig. 6 by` noting the relative positions of the crank pins 28 and 29 that, following the intake of fuel into theV cham.- ber 5B, the sleeve cylinder 45 moves upward while thepiston 54 is at bottom dead center, the sleeve cylinder45 thus closing the intake port I6 before the piston A541 mo-ves upward sufficiently to compressthis fuel.

'I'he piston 54 and sleeve cylinder 45 now move to the compression position shown in Fig. 7 which just precedes the firing position shown in Fig. 1 and already described.

After theengine lil has been running a short while it will continue to run without any electricity. The fuel gases are subjected to such pressures and temperatures as will crack the fuel fractions of lower gravity and induce self-ignition. This ignition regularly takes place at or shortly following the peak of compression.

When operating the engine ofrmy invention, it is preferable to employ a light grade of fuel in starting. When the engine has been running as short a period as from five to fifteen seconds, however, it may be switched over to a heavier fuel. A

The trapping of a portion of the burnt gases in the upper portion of the'cylinder and the introduction of the fuel at the lower end of the combustion chamber beneath these trapped gases produces, when the entire charge is compressed, which is just before firing, a stratification with ythe burnt gases disposed in the layer above the compressed mixture of fuel. It is the present theory that this condition is responsible for the self-ignition above referred to. Y When starting `the motor, however, the selfignition does not occur and' it is necessary to employ an electric spark to ignite the fuel charge. I found that for this spark to be effective it must take place at a point within the lower stratifying layer of gases in ,which the fuel mixture is found. Fig. 1 shows the parts of the motorl in firing position and this illustrates the location of the electrodes of the spark plug 49 atthe time the distributor 42 causes the spark to be f produced between them.

Because of the self-ignition above referred to, the engine of my invention consumes a much greater portion of the carbon molecules normally released in burning hydrocarbon fuels. It also operates with equal eihciency on vario-us grades of gasoline, distillates and even fuel oil. Y

It is estimated that the pressure' to which the fuel and retained combustion gases are subjected cylinder; a piston slidable in said sleeve cylinder to form a combustion chamber in said sleeve cylinder; means connecting said piston to said secondary pin means, the throw of said primary crank pin means being substantially less than said secondary crank pin means andfollowing the latter substantially ninety degrees, therey being exhaust ports in said sleeve cylinder and said block which register while uncovered by said piston and while said combustion chamber is expanding rapidly and vhas a substantial amount yet to expand incidental to the power cycle; and fuel supply means including intake ports in said sleeve cylinder and said block which register and are opened by said piston when the expansion of said combustion chamber is substantially at its maximum.

2. In a two-stroke internal combustion engine, the combination of: a block having a bore, a crank chamber and bearings; a Vcrank shaft journalled in said bearings, said shaft having primary and secondary crank pin means; a sleeve cylinder slidably mounted in said bore; means connecting said primary pin means to said sleeve cylinder; a piston slidable in said sleeve cylinder to form a combustion chamber in said sleeve lcylinder;V means connecting said piston to said secondary pin means, the throw of said primary crank pin means` being substantially less than said secondary crank pin means and following the latter substantially ninety degrees, there being exhaust ports in said sleeve cylinder and said block which register just as said ports are uncovered by Vsaid piston and with said sleeve cylinder in substantially its lowermost position and while said combustion chamber is expanding rapidly and has a substantial amount yet to expand incidental to the power cycle; and fuel supply means including intake ports in said sleeve cylinder and saidA block which'register and are opened .by said piston when the expansion of said combustion chamber is substantially at its maximum.

3. In a two-stroke internal combustion engine, the combination of: a block having a bore, a crank chamber and bearings; a crank shaft journalled in said bearings, said shaft having primary and secondary crank pin means; a sleeve cylinder slidably mounted in said bore; means connecting said primary pin means to said sleeve cylinder; a piston slidable in said cylinder to form a combustion chamber in said sleeve cylinder; means connecting said piston to said secondary pin means, the throw of said primary crank pin means being substantially less than said secondary crank pin means and following the latter substantially ninety degrees, there being exhaust ports in said sleeve cylinder and said block which register while uncovered lby said piston and while said combustion chamber is expanding rapidly and has a substantial amount yet to expand incidental to the power cycle; check valve means preventing resurgence n including intake ports in said sleeve cylinder and said block which register While uncovered by said piston after said exhaust ports have opened and closed.

4. In a two-stroke internal combustion engine, the combination of: a block having a bore, a rank chamber and bearings; a crank shaft journalled in said bearings, said shaft having primary and secondary crank pins means; a sleeve cylinder slidably mounted inl said bore; means connecting said primary pin means' to said sleeve cylinder; a piston s'lidable in said sleeve cylinder to form a combustion chamber in said sleeve cylinder; means connecting said piston to said secondary pin means, the throw of said primary crank pin' means being substantially less than said secondary crank pin means and following the latter substantially ninety degrees, there being exhaust ports in said sleeve cylinder and said block which register just as uncovered by said piston and with said sleeve cylinder in substantially its lowermost position and While said combustion chamber is expanding rapidly and has a substantial amount yet to expandvincidental to the power cycle; check valve means preventing resurgence of exhaust gases through said exhaust ports as the latter are closing; and fuel supply means including intake ports in said sleeve cylinder and said block which register while uncovered by said piston after said exhaust ports have opened and closed.

5. In a two-stroke internal combustion engine, the combination of: a block having a bore, provided vvith intake and exhaust ports extending through the Wall thereof, said intake port being disposed below the level of said exhaust port; a check valve preventing the inward passage of gases through said exhaust ports; a reciprocal cylinder in said bore having a head provided on one end thereof, said cylinder having intake and exhaust ports extending through the Wall thereof, the intake and exhaust ports of said cylinder communicating withv the intakel and exhaust ports respectively of said lblock during reciprocation of said cylinder in said block; a reciprocal piston in said cylinder, said intake and exhaust ports of said cylinder being successively opened and closed'by saidpiston during reciprocation thereof; primary and secondary crank means; rod means connecting said primary and second;- ary crank means with said piston and said cylinder respectively, said primary and secondary crank means being so related as to cause said cylinder ands-aid piston to move in opposite directions following' the opening of said exhaust port and prior to the opening of said intake port.

WALTER T. KINSLOW. 

